Elon Musk's salute is a standard-issue far-right trolling tactic. I call it fascist peekaboo, and explain how it works here.
But it's not working so well this time. I explain how progressives and the press are getting smarter on how to respond.
https://www.salon.com/2025/01/22/elon-musks-salute-falls-flat-why-far-right-trolling-isnt-working-this-time/
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@AmandaMarcotte While I agree that these are part of the same tactic, and the obvious weakening in its effectiveness, I'd say the line between appropriating the OK sign and throwing two back to back, unmistakable sieg-heils is as fine as a freight train.
The increase in bluntness (from plausibly deniable OK hand gesture to outright Nazi salute which can't be any other thing) is, I believe, in part what weakens the tactic this time around. There's no trolling when the denial isn't plausible. You'll just look like a douche at best.
It's also what happened to end the OK sign debacle. When the outright racist massacre happened, there was no plausibility to the denial anymore.
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